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Arsenal handed boost in pursuit of German international – report

By mac14 on January 20, 2016

The transfer gossip continues to heat-up and today the Telegraph are reporting that Arsenal could finally land long-term target Lars Bender after Bayer Leverkusen admitted they may be willing to cash-in on the midfielder.

We only recently wrapped-up a deal to sign Egyptian international Mohamed Elneny from FC Basel and his arrival certainly eases the load in midfield with the likes of Santi Cazorla, Francis Coquelin and Jack Wilshere out injured.

However, Mathieu Flamini and Tomas Rosicky are set to leave the club when their contracts expire in June and Mikel Arteta could move in to a coaching role at the end of the season so Arsene is going to need to bring in at least one more central midfielder.

Most assume the boss will wait until the summer but the Telegraph suggest he could dip back in to the transfer market before the end of the month after Leverkusen hinted they’d be willing to cash-in on Lars Bender.

When quizzed about the possibility of the 26-year-old leaving, chairman Michael Schade is quoted as saying by the Telegraph:

“Bayer Leverkusen can’t be as arrogant to say that we are creating world stars and they will retire here,”

“If we are able to create a world star or top player, then one day this player wants to play for one of the top [clubs in the world], of course.”

Bender has long been linked with a move to the Emirates but Leverkusen have always insisted the German international wasn’t for sale, so it looks as though their stance is softening and this could open the door for Arsene to finally get his hands on him.

However, I’d personally be surprised to see us splash out on another central midfielder this month. There is no rush now that we’ve signed Elneny so I think the boss will bide his time and look to make his move at the end of the season once Flamini, Rosicky and Arteta are off the books.

We’ll have to wait and see whether Wenger goes all-out for Bender or focuses his attention on another one of his targets, but I’d love to see the German come to the Emirates.